Signs and Symptoms of Eye tracking problems:

Confusing one word with another as the eyes skip around during reading

Habit of using a finger or marker or ruler as an aid during reading

Excessive head movement while reading, writing or doing other close work

Poor comprehension during reading.

Seemingly careless errors during close work

Poor reading comprehension

Attention and/or behavior problems specifically during reading or other close vision work.

20-20 Eyesight and Eye Tracking Problems

The standard 20-20 eye exam does not test any eye movements, including eye tracking.
A person can pass the 20-20 eye exam and still have undetected eye tracking problems.

20/20 just means that the person can clearly see a designated letter on a standard eye chart at a distance of
20 feet (equivalent to what a person with normal vision should be able to see at 20 feet).
There is so much more to good vision than 20-20 eyesight!

Children Do Not Outgrow Eye Tracking Problems

According to Pediatric Developmental optometrist Dr. Michael Gallaway, FCOVD, "Eye tracking skills are considered the fine motor aspect of vision, and like other fine motor skills, should continue to develop as children get older." However, if a child has a deficiency or developmental delay in foundational eye tracking skills, they are not going to outgrow their eye tracking problem. Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment is necessary to get a child back on track with the development and establishment of normal eye movements.

Proven Connection between Eye Tracking Problems and ADD ADHD

In a recent peer-reviewed scientific study at Tel Aviv University in Israel, researches found strong evidence that involuntary eye movements are an indicator of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Researchers used an eye-tracking system to monitor the eye movements of two groups of adults in conjunction with an ADHD diagnostic test called TOVA.

One group of study subjects, who had previously been diagnosed with ADHD, took the test twice: once without medication and again when under the influence of methylphenidate, a drug commonly used to control symptoms of ADHD. The second group of adults — not diagnosed with ADHD — served as the control group and did the eye-tracking test without medication. The results found a direct correlation between ADHD and the inability to control eye movement in the anticipation of visual stimuli.

On the subject of eye tracking, eye movements, and ADHD diagnosis, Dr. Glen Steele, AOA InfantSEE™ committee chair said, “Optometry has always stated that eye movements are linked to reduced attention, often leading to a misdiagnosis of ADHD,” Dr. Glen Steele emphasizes, “This study [the Tel Aviv eye tracking study] furthers the understanding that eye movements are linked and should be addressed.” Dr. Steele continues, “The control of eye movements is foundational for everything an individual might do in life and if compromised, it can lead to reduced ability and function.” Dr. Steele advises, “Parents of children with suspected attention disorders should be encouraged to have their children undergo a comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist in order to determine the extent that vision might play in the overall process,”